The editor:
As times get harder, the untrue rumors worsen. People love to talk about others, to take the focus away from their own problems. Every day I see the human tragedy in this circuit. I see individuals losing their jobs, losing their homes and losing their cars. I see children being removed from their families. I see individuals who are victims of crimes and I put individuals in jail daily as their families look on. There is nothing about court that is pretty, and I do not delight in talking about any of the human tragedy I see daily. It simply makes me sad. There are however, some individuals who delight in talking about others. If they do not know something to talk about, they simply pull a tale out of their tail.
Over the past month, I have issued approximately 100 warrants for drug traffickers. Shortly after issuing all of these warrants, I began to hear lies about me. Over the past 9 years as Circuit Judge, and now as Chief Circuit Judge of four counties, I have heard many lies about me, and sometimes I laugh about them. The current lies are not funny. It is hurtful in that it undermines the work I have devoted my life to. It is also hurtful to my three teenage boys, whom I have done my very best to raise as fine young men. My children have been through enough. However, I had to set them down and tell them what they could expect to hear at school. I explained that some people like to spread malicious lies, but that there was no truth to any of it.
Almost daily, I receive letters from individuals who say they cannot sit on jury duty because they cannot judge others, because of their religion. Some of these very individuals who do not believe in sitting on the jury because they can’t judge others, sit around gossiping and spreading untruths. These people should be ashamed of their gift of gab. Growing up, my father was a state representative, and was also a deacon in the Baptist Church. Because he was in politics, I learned to endure rumors of a small town. My father would always say to me, “Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear, and repeat nothing.” Although my father passed 12 years ago, I have continued to follow his advice. This community has enough problems without people making up tales. I would encourage individuals to follow my father’s advice. Spreading lies may cause an individual to end up in front of me as a defendant in a slander suit.
Make this community the nice place it really is, and stop telling tales about anyone and everyone. Concentrate on improving your own life and the lives of those around you. Don’t wallow in gossip. Be positive. A positive attitude will positively affect your life. Since becoming Circuit Judge, I have worked hard to make this community a better place to live; to assist individuals in having a better life; and to provide all citizens of this community with access to the court system.
In January of 2008, I started the Montgomery County Drug Court. We meet every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. We have now had one drug free baby, and will soon have two more drug free babies. We have several individuals who have been drug free for over a year and are holding steady jobs and supporting their families.
Shortly after becoming judge in 2000, I assisted in starting a free divorce clinic in this circuit, so that poor individuals who had been separated for years but could not afford to hire an attorney could obtain a divorce free of charge. Legal Aid of the Bluegrass comes and assists individuals in filling out the paper work and I conduct hearings for them without attorneys. These clinics are held in Montgomery County on the third Friday of odd numbered months, and in Rowan County on the fourth Friday of odd numbered months. Individuals in Bath and Menifee counties may go to either clinic. I have also placed fill-in-the-blank motions to review child support or review visitation, in the circuit clerk’s offices, so that individuals who cannot afford attorneys may have access to the court system. This is very important to me, as many judges across the state will not allow individuals to appear in their courtroom if they do not have an attorney. I want everyone to have access.
I also have a community service grant which pays for a coordinator to take defendants out to work to clean our parks, pick up trash on the side of roads, clean up tires from creeks, and paint and clean community buildings. This allows for punishment of an individual who is deserving of probation, without our county having to pay the jail bill, and at the same time, offers a free service to the four counties in this circuit.
Recently, as Chief Judge of Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties, I implemented a policy that requires everyone who is booked into the Montgomery or Rowan County jails to be drug tested. This is for the safety of the individuals being booked in, as it allows the jail staff to know whether they have taken a lethal combination of drugs, or whether they are on drugs that can have a lethal reaction when people are detoxing from them. This also allows me to know if the individuals are on a very addictive substance, which would cause them to continue to commit offenses if immediately released on bond.
I do not receive any additional pay for the extra time I spend in running these additional programs, and am not required to do these extra things as part of my job. I do these things because I love the people of this community and want our community to be the best it can be. I ask you to stop the malicious lies about people and work on being positive in this depressing time.
Beth Lewis Maze
Chief Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit
